Third Law Broken

[TheAnalyst]

El dólar está en el bolsillo delantero de mis pantalones. ¿Lo quiere usted?

Seriously, do you need this explained again? There is no missing dollar.

[El-Moldo]

I'm talking actual physical money here. Not smoke and mirrors. xWhen all is said and done. Each salesman paid $9 toward the room payment. The bellboy has $2 which he did not have before the salesmen came in the door. 3x9+2=29. Tell me, physically, where that dollar is?

[TheAnalyst]

Initially the salesmen paid $10 each (3x10 = $30). Of which $5 was returned, and the bellboy kept $2 and gave back $3. So the bellboy kept $2 of the original $30 (25 + 3 + 2).

In the second scenario the salesmen paid $9 each (3x9 = $27). Of which the bellboy kept $2. So in this scenario the bellboy kept $2 of the $27 and they paid $25 for the room (25 + 2 = 27 + $3 returned = 30).

Don't mix the two together. That's where they try to confuse you with this question. The bellboy is keeping $2 of the salesmen total money paid both times.

Hope this helps. Best explanation I can give.

[El-Moldo]

Good job on explaining. But, from a physical standpoint, each salesman paid $9 and the bellboy kept $2. That's all I see, $29 accounted for.